Combined lock and latch.



E. H. TRACY.

COMBINED LOCK AND LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY11,1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914,

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EUGENE H. TRACY, 0F CASS LAKE, MINNESOTA.

COMBINED LOCK AND LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Application filed July 11, 1913. Serial No. 778,520.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE H. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cass Lake, in the county of Cass and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Locks and Latches, of which the following is a specification.

The invention aims to give a device constructed and operating on the principle of the ordinary gravity operated pivoted bolt latch employing a lifting lever projecting on opposite sides of a door or other structure upon which the device is mounted, having additional advantages among which is the possibility of locking the latch against disengagement casually and also whereby a padlock may be coengaged with the device to hold it positively locked.

A further object is to simplify the specific details of manufacture of the device, whereby it may be produced complete from simple blanks of sheet metal.

It is also a purpose to make the installation and operation of the device so simple that it may be put in place by the ordinary workman and understood by any person of ordinary intelligence.

Additional objects and advantages will appear, some of which will be apparent from the following description, and from the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentaryside view of a door equipped with my invention, Fig.2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof, Fig. 4: is a detail of the pivot construction.

There is illustrated a portion of a door frame 10 and a door 11, which may be of any ordinary construction, upon the first of which there is secured a catch 12, very similar to the ordinary one in the form of the striking head 13, except that in addition to the latch notch 14 on its upper side, a similar one 15 vertically alined therewith is formed on the bottom side of the strike 13. The head 13 is also provided with a large open ing 16 in its outer part. The catch is formed integrally of one piece of sheet metal having a suitably apertured base portion bent abruptly to one side at the inner edges of the notches 14 and 15. Between the notches a reduced neck portion is presented.

At a suitable distance from the catch a pivot screw or the like 18 is engaged in the door, revoluble on which there is a small rectangular plate 19 having tongues 20 pressed outwardly on opposite edges thereof, a suitable distance apart for snug engagement in a longitudinal slot 21 formed in a latch bolt 22, the plate 19 being disposed inwardly of the bolt and serving as a washer to space the bolt from the door surface, as well as to sup port the bolt slidably out of contact with the pivot bolt 18. The bolt 22 is provided with a bayonet slot 23 having a major longitudinal portion 24: of a width suflicient to receive the neck 17 freely therein under reciprocation of the bolt, and opening on the lower edge of the bolt adjacent its swinging end, as at 25, the adjacent end of the bolt having a laterally turned finger piece 26 spaced from the slot. The open end of the slot registers with the neck 17 when the bolt is at the inner limit of its sliding movement with re spect to the pivot. Outwardly of the bolt 22 there is a keeper plate 27 having a small ap erture at its inner end through which the bolt 18 is engaged, the head of the bolt holding the keeper plate snugly against the bolt and bearing the latter in turn against the plate 19, whereby all are held snugly in proper operative position by the pivot bolt. The swinging end of the plate 27 is provided with a laterally turned head 28 corresponding to that 13 on the catch, and located in close parallel relation thereto and being similarly apertured, so that at times the hasp of a padlock may be coengaged through the two heads for a purpose now to be explained. The bolt 22 is provided with two notches 29 in its upper edge and spaced longitudinally thereon, while the keeper plate 27 is provided with an inwardly turned tooth 30 on its upper edge adapted to engage in the notches to hold the bolt 22 at respective limits of its sliding movement. lVhen engaged in that notch 29 farthest from the pivot the bolt is held in position for pivotal disengagement from the catch, and when the notch 29 nearest the pivot is engaged with the tooth 30 the neck 17 is disposed well within the longitudinal portion 24 of the bayonet slot, so that lifting of the latch is prevented.

If desired, a supplementary vertical guide 31 may be secured on the door adjacent the outer end of the plate 27 to retain the bolt and plate 27 in a fixed plane. The lower part of this plate should be vertically slotted as at 32, to receive one end of a lifting lever 33 of any ordinary form, having portions projected on opposite sides of the door, and being pivoted a suflicient distance of the plane of the bolt. 22 to assure ready lifting thereof when the lever is properly oscillated.

It will be seen that the plate 27 may have pivotal movement upward independently of the bolt 22, for disengagement of the tooth 30 from the notches 29. By engaging the tooth in the innermost notch 29 the bolt 22 is held against sliding movement such as would allow engagement with the neck 17 in the horizontal part of the bayonet slot, and the bolt is thus maintained in position for free operation. Should it be desired to lock the door without the use of a key or special lock, it is only ecessary to liftthe keeper plate and slide the bolt 22 outwardly while in horizontal position, then allowing the keeper to fall into place. This would prevent operation of the latch except by a reverse operation. which could not be performed from that side of the door opposite the latch. By inserting the hasp of a padlock through the apertures in the heads 13 and 28 the bolt 22 is held in locked position and in addition. opening of the door will be resisted additionally by the plate 27 being secured to the catch.

It will be seen that a latch proper is provided having the advantages enumerated involving but three essentials beside the pivot bolt as the plate 19 may be dispensed with if desired and the latch may be manually operated without the lever However, it is deemed preferable to construct the device with the parts shown, although any other suitable means for lifting the bolt may be employed. Modifications in the specific form of the remaining parts may also be found desirable. Each of the pieces shown is well adapted to be stamped integrally from sheet metal, and it is apparent that there is very little waste involved. In fact, the parts may all be formed from strap metal of the same width.

Vhat is claimed:

1. A latch device comprising a catch, having a reduced neck portion, a pivot memher, a bolt slidable and oscillable thereon and having a bayonet slot opening on its lower edge adjacent the outer end and including a horizontal part, longitudinally spaced notches being formed on the upper side of the bolt, and a keeper member pivot ed on the pivot member and a projection carried thereby engageable alternatively in the notches.

2. A latch device comprising a catch having a striker head and a reduced neck portion. a pivot member, a bolt slidable and oscillable thereon having a bayonet slot opening on its lower edge, longitudinally spaced notches being formed on the upper side of the bolt, and a keeper member pivoted on the pivot member, a projection thereon engageable alternatively in the notches, said keeper having a h ad adapted to lie in close parallel relation to the first named head, and said heads having registered apertures for the reception of a padlock hasp.

3. In a device of the class described, a longitudinally slidable latch plate having a longitudinal slot adjacent one end, a pivot plate having laterally turned spaced. ears engaged slidably in the slot and being centrally apertured, a keeper member outwardly of the latch plate, and a headed pivot bolt coengaged through the keeper and'pivot plate for retention of the parts in operative position, the latch plate having a bayonet slot including a horizontal portion and opening downwardly on the lower side of the latch plate, and a catch member notched on its upper side and adapted to engage in the open end of the slot under pivotal movement of the latch plate. and being adapted to engage in the horizontal portion of the slot. under outward sliding movementv of the latch plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE H. TRACY. Witnesses AL. J. HALL,

E. M. DUNPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. C. 

